Black Country art students have transformed the waiting room at Sandwell Hospital’s fracture clinic by creating a colourful mural on the wall.
The “enchanting” handiwork, named Window on the World” has been painted by students from Sandwell College and can be found hanging at the West Bromwich site. The budding artists took on the challenge as part of their community arts module. It was co-ordinated by healthcare charity Kissing it Better.
The clinic had no natural light, so they designed a mural featuring large windows depicting scenes of the borough’s multicultural communities.
Patient Wendy Kimberley (pictured above), of Great Barr, said she was impressed with the artwork. “I’ve been coming here over some time now as I’ve had a knee replacement, and I have noticed the change,” she added. “It’s a real improvement to the area. Blank walls are so boring, so it’s nice to see something different.
“It’s lovely to know that it’s been done by students from the local college.”
Sam Beck, Matron for the clinic, explained: “It’s a really impressive piece of work that has brightened up the area. We wanted to create an environment for our patients which was uplifting and we feel like the students have done just that. We want to thank them and Kissing it Better for all their help in creating this mural and transforming the clinic by painting the walls.”
Before embarking on the makeover, students gathered ideas and feedback from patients.
One described the clinic as “a drab and depressing environment, with no windows, natural light or fresh air and plain colourless walls.”
As a result, students used pale blues, greens and soft yellows to give a sense of natural light and sunshine. They also made a Creative Activities Corner for the clinic’s youngest patients. Jessica Morera is one of the students who painted the mural. She said: ”This project will make a real difference to patients. There are no windows in the reception area, so we wanted to paint some onto the walls, giving people the feeling that they can see something beyond the clinic.”
Jill Fraser, CEO of Kissing it Better, said: “The hospital waiting experience can often be boring and stressful. Students have given families visiting Sandwell Hospital’s fracture clinic the gift of an enchanting and uplifting waiting experience.”
College lecturers praised Kissing it Better and hospital bosses for facilitating the project. “It’s been a great opportunity for students to engage with the community, hone their skills, and develop an idea, which will also help them in their future careers as artists,” added Helen Sweeting, Art Design and Photography lecturer.
The makeover was conceived and organised by Kissing it Better, a locally-based healthcare charity that promotes simple ideas to improve patient experience. The charity works at both Sandwell and City hospitals, creating projects where students can use their talents to make a difference to patients, staff and visitors.